Vehicle-top



(KoModeL) E. P. STEDMAN. Vehicle Top.

No. 233,889. Patented Nov. 2; 1880..

lNVENTOR a Jfad ."ATTORNEY N. PEIERS. PHDTO-LHHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D I;

UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICE.

ELIHU I. STEDMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,889, dated November 2, 1880.

Application filed September 25, 1880.

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, ELIHU P. STEDMAN, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Vehicle- Tops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the top in folded position.

This invention relates to that class of devices termed folding carriagetops.

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the front, and A the back, sections of a folding carriagetop. Each section consists of the half-top, which 1s constructed of a rigid bow and hinged braces. B B represent the two bows for supporting the top, said bows being hinged to the shifting-rail at b. To the front bow, B, the braces a a of the front section, A, are hinged at a a, and the braces b b of the back section, A, are hinged at b b to the back bow, B. To the ends d e of the front and back bows, D E, of the sections A A, upon each side of the top, are fastened the side pieces, F, made of yielding material. These said pieces are fastened to the bows Band B, and act in the place of hinges between these and the bows D and E, and in their middle portions serve to connect the two bows B B.

In constructing the braces to and b, and attaching them to the tops of bows B B, they are given such shape and curvature that said (No model.)

bows and braces shall form a surface of the proper shape and finish for the outside covering of the top, and therefore the stutfing used in the ordinary construction can be dispensed with.

To the back section, A, are fastened the ordinary quarter-curtains, and thetop is held up by the ordinary outside and inside jointed braces.

By this construction I form a top which is capable of being folded down in a very small space, and lies flat when dropped, and at the same time the cover is kept rigid, and without creases, except at the middle.

By attaching the rigid bows of the front and back sections to the supporting-bows,as shown endwise movement of said rigid bows is permitted by the yielding nature of the material, and hence there is no strainingofthe top cover, as would be the case were the connection made by a hinge.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The section A, consisting of rigid bow D and curved braces a a, hinged to the top of how B at a a and flexibly connected thereto at the ends of bow D.

2. A su1')porting-surfltce for the cover, consisting of the tops of the bows B and B and the curved hinged braces a a and b b, the whole forming a rigid frame for the cover, whereby stuffing is dispensed with.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ELIHU P. STEDMAN.

Witnesses:

PHILIP A. MASI, M. P. OALLAN. 

